Interbrand and Ready Set Rocket Forecast the Top 7 Trends of 2016

Interbrand, the world’s leading brand consultancy, and Ready Set Rocket, a New York City-based digital marketing agency, today announce 7 technology trends that forward-looking brands can take advantage of in 2016.

“Technology’s tremendous evolution provides us with a unique opportunity to re-imagine the traditional work/life/family/leisure structures of our lives. Instead of trying to expertly juggle the pieces, more people are choosing to edit out the nonessential and design their environments and schedules to better support the pursuit of their passions,” said Aaron Harvey, Partner and Executive Creative Director of Ready Set Rocket. “For brands that take the time to empathize deeply with their customers’ priorities, this cultural shift presents a considerable opportunity to use technology that powers products and services that align with this lifestyle.”

The trends that embody this theme include:

Hybrid Living Reaches Mainstream America – Inspired by the analog and the natural, new devices will deliver the intelligence and connectivity we crave, but in familiar form factors, allowing us to create smart spaces that remain calming, comfortable and distinctly human.

Sixth Sense – Smart products that learn our needs and make timely suggestions when we actually need them can give us what we crave most: the freedom to focus on the things that truly matter.

Elastic Technology – The ability to access data and communicate will soon extend beyond devices into a powerful layer of data that binds everything together. Brands that plan beyond concepts of mobile, tablet and wearable to envision this seamless future will encounter their customers anywhere and at any time.

Little Big Brands – Big brands are hungry to think like startups, while startups are hungry to grow their teams and budgets as big as the big brands. As innovation is polarizing industries, there is a huge opportunity for both little-and-large partnerships to thrive by embarking on experimental projects together to create a memorable branded story.

The New Tribalism – Driven by the need for connection and authenticity, people are clustering around shared values, resulting in a cultural landscape where demographics matter far less than affinity. Mobile’s rise to dominance will only enhance this trend, and understanding the internal dynamics of these groups will be key to turning brand stories into movements.

Complete Customization – Consumers wanting to have their unique voice heard has led to feats of digital customization and personalization. Imaging and manufacturing technology will take things to a new level, giving users control of aesthetics, features and core product functionality.

The Privacy Exchange – Consumers are more aware of their information’s value and prefer to be compensated for it. Smart brands that recognize this will have the unique ability to build invaluable trust and loyalty. This trend will create an informal marketplace where consumers share data with corporations.

Brands have only begun to scratch the surface of reimagining work/life structure and, throughout 2016, will continue to challenge existing structures to better understand and communicate with consumers.

“When it comes to managing brands and businesses in 2016, leaders need to focus on gaining the right insight and understanding to ensure that every move their business makes leads to growth,” noted Intebrand’s Chief Content Officer, Paola Norambuena. “As these seven trends suggest, consumers are embracing life-centric technology more frequently—technology that helps them design the lives they wish to lead. We believe that those leaders who capitalize on these technological trends have the potential to grow their brands and businesses exponentially in the year ahead.”

About Ready Set Rocket

Ready Set Rocket is a New York City-based digital agency committed to connecting brands and consumers through innovative multi-channel experiences. We are a team of expert makers, relationship builders, technological innovators and brand enthusiasts who collaborate closely and effectively to solve our client’s challenges. We work with innovative brands like Deutsche Bank, Fast Company J.P. Morgan Asset Management, Michael Kors, Tylenol, Univision and others.

About Interbrand

Interbrand is the world’s leading brand consultancy, with a network of 29 offices in 22 countries. Since it opened for business in 1974, Interbrand has changed the way the world sees branding: from just another word for “logo” to a business’s most valuable asset. Publisher of the highly influential annual Best Global Brands report and Webby Award-winning brandchannel, Interbrand believes that brands have the power to change the world—and helps its clients achieve this goal every day. Interbrand’s combination of strategy, creativity, and technology delivers fresh ideas and insights, deep brand intelligence, clear business opportunities, and compelling brand experiences.